Alas, Christmas is here once again. The malls are crowded, houses are being decorated, gifts are being wrapped, and office parties are taking place. So that leaves the million dollar question. How do I maintain my program during the holidays with all these parties and get-togethers? It seems from Thanksgiving until December 31st, temptation is staring you in the face and fighting you every step of the way.

Even though it may be harder to follow your dedicated program this month, there are some things you can do to have fun and still remain within reason. You just need a little direction and everything else will fall into place. It's not all work. You can make following your program fun and efficient.

Now, this is not a newsletter about drinking a huge glass of water before you go to a Christmas party or dinner and it's not about loading your plate with a bunch of vegetables. You've heard that time and time again. You already know to do that and probably already do, so we won't beat a dead horse. Let's make this Christmas maintenance fun and worthy.

Let's take it one step at a time:

1. Go shopping. Yeah, you heard me. Go shopping. Shopping gets you out and moving. It takes your mind off certain stresses, but be sure to keep you plastic within check when shopping so you don't create added stress come January.

Do some Christmas shopping for your family, friends, co-workers, and even yourself if you like. There's no reason you can't put a fitness tape or training gloves into your Christmas stocking.

2. Park your car a good distance from the store. This will give you some added walking time. Some complain it's too cold to park so far out. Think of it this way. You won't literally freeze to death between your car and the front door of the store. Cold is what makes Christmas, Christmas. What fun would it be to have Christmas in 80 degree weather? I've been there and believe me, it doesn't feel like Christmas and it's not fun.

3. Get cooking. Get in the kitchen and start whipping up some healthy meals for yourself, your family and any guest that may arrive. There's no law that says gatherings should contain 100% junk food. You can look online and find many healthy creations that cost close to nothing and taste great.

Grilled chicken strips with veggies fried in olive oil is a great and tasty idea. Marinated turkey and yams fried in olive oil is also a great creation. Pull out all your healthy and natural foods and ingredients and get creative.

4. Lend your hand to the needy. Not everyone has family or funds and it's harder on these individuals during the holidays. Doing services for others helps your well-being and keeps you active. You can choose to give them a healthy dish of your latest kitchen creation or a small gift that's well-rounded such as clothes you would sell at a garage sale or on eBay, or even some nice personal hygiene supplies. Helping others is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.

While you are thinking about this, keep in mind our brothers and sisters fighting the war. They too have family and friends that are without. There are online services you can look up to help our fighting troops this Christmas Season.

5. Play. Find time and simply play. Whether it's outside in the snow or sitting inside playing a game by a roaring fire, do something with your family and friends. The idea is to keep not just your body, but your mind and heart active as well. When you become too serious and stop having fun, that's when you start to age from the inside out.

6. Organize a fund raiser. Pull your family and friends together and create a small fund raiser for your favorite charity. There are many people forgotten about at Christmas. Keep in mind the orphanages, retirement centers, animal shelters, women's shelters, etc. If you are struggling for ideas on who to help, you can check online for some great ideas.

7. Go caroling! Caroling is a wonderful pastime that's becoming quickly forgotten. It's about as down-home as you can get. Caroling spreads Christmas joy and cheer. It reminds people that humanity still exists. This is something that's easily forgotten when you live in the real world with all the negativity going on every time you read the Internet, turn on the radio or TV. Do your part and remind people the reason for the holiday season.

Christmas means different things to different people. Keep your views real to you and don't let other's point of view offend you. The point to all this is to keep it real, make it fun, help others, and to stay active.

About The Author

Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry since 1988 and is a certified personal fitness instructor and specialist in performance nutrition. She is a nationally qualified natural female bodybuilder, holding numerous titles in the southern states including two overalls.

Karen has written six e-books on fitness. She also writes articles for several fitness websites, and distributes two monthly newsletters regarding weight loss and female bodybuilding.